Emergency cot



June 1959 l. MARTIN 2,889,561

EMERGENCY COT Filed Dec. 31, 1956 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Irma L. Martin INVENTOR.

Attorney:

June 9, 1959 l. MARTIN 2,889,561

EMERGENCY COT Filed Dec. 31, 1956 E :5 Sheecs-Sheet s Fig. //0 /09 /06 [mm L. Martin INVENTOR.

M40161. BY ym; 5%

EMERGENCY COT Irma L. Martin, Gastonia, NC.

Application December 31, 1956, Serial No. 631,596

1 Claim. (Cl. -110) This invention relates to a disaster or emergency cot which is adapted to function as such and to be useful in a number of other capacities.

An object of the present invention is to provide a handy, practical emergency cot which is capable of being put into use at once and with a minimum of difficulty. The nature and substance of the invention is describable as being in the provision of a disaster or emergency cot as distinguished from a cot which is specifically designed or principally useful for general purposes. The disaster or emergency cot of the invention has a reversible top with snap-on mattress on one side and is plain on the opposite side so that the plain side serves as a useful device when the cot is prepared for its principal use. For example, the plain side of the cot may function as a sign background, mural background, bulletin board, etc.

, One of the features of the invention isthat the emergency cot is constructed to be vplaced in the Trendelenburg position or in reverse Trendelenburg position immediately and without any difficulty. As a disaster or emergency cot, it is equipped with a removable solution stand, which can be quickly inserted in sockets provided at each corner of the framework of the cot, and the cot may be provided with a removable head or footboard which serve a number of useful purposes, the main purpose being to prevent the patient from sliding off the cot when placed in a Trendelenburg or reverse Trendelenburg position. Such standard equipment as restraining straps and wristlets are furnished with the emergency cot to make it possible to use this standard equipment with a minimum of difliculty. The cot has snap clamps within the framework for the storage of accessories such as solution stand, headboard, footboard, restraining straps, wristlets, mattress etc., in order to have all the necessary equipment available at once should demands be made forit. Moreover, the disaster or emergency cot is equipped with wall brackets for mounting on the wall and, being a practical piece ofiequipment, thecot made *in accordance with the. invention is adjustable tovarious levels.

Accordingly, a further general object of the invention is to provide an improved emergency or disaster cot which is, to my knowledge, superior and more practical than any other cot of which I am aware.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an emergency cot examplifying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cot in Figure 1 showing it in the stored position and illustrating the cot used as a bulletin board or a surface on which messages may be applied and for other purposes which do not interfere with the function of the emergency cot as such;

.nited States Patent 2,889,561 Patented June 9, 1959 Figure 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing the foot or headboard being inserted in th emergency cot;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the solution stand inserted in the cot;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the mattress, the top and the means for separably fastening the mattress to the top;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing suggested means for holding the top assembled with the framework of the cot;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line '7-7 of Figure 1 and showing in dotted line position the cot moved to an inclined position;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the cot in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the means for adjusting the cot and holding itin selected angulated positions;

Figure 10 is an end view of the cot in Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the cot;

Figure 12 is a bottom view of the cot in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the means for holding the cot of Figure 11 in the selected, adjusted positions; and,

Figure 14 is an end view of the cot in Figure 11.

Attention is now invited to Figures 1-10 wherein one form of the invention is illustrated. The emergency or disaster cot 10 of these Figures consists of a rectangular framework 12 which is preferably made of angle iron and has sides 14, 16, 18 and 20 from each of which an upstanding wall 24 extends. Top panel 26 is disposed on the inwardly extending flanges 28 of the sides and ends of the framework being held captive therein by the dimensioning of the wall 24 and the dimensioning of the top panel 26. A center transverse spindle 30 extends across the sides 18 and 20 and accommodates the leg frames 32 and 34 respectively. Leg frame 32 has parallel legs 36 and 38 connected by axle 46 while the frame 34 has sides 41 and 42 connected at the lower ends thereof by means of axle 44. Wheels 46 are at the ends of the two axles 40 and 44 in order to provide a rolling support for the emergency cot.

There are means to hold the leg frames in adjusted position with respect to framework 12. These means consist of U-shaped supports 48 and 50 respectively which are mounted at their free ends on spindles 52 and 54 which extend transversely across the framework 12 near the ends thereof. Cross members 56 and 58 of the supports are engageable within the notches 66' along the sides of each leg frame. The notches open outwardlyand are adapted to receive the cross members 56 and 58 in selected notches while the entire framework and cot surface is tilted about the center transverse'spindle 3 0 -in order to acheive the Trendelenburg or reverse Trendelenburg positions.

There are elongated slots 62, 63, 64 and 65 in the sides 18 and 20 in order to accommodate wristlets, restraining straps and other attachments. In addition, there is a mattress 66 which has snap fasteners on it, the fasteners 68 being adapted to engage with complemental fasteners 69 on one surface of the top panel 26. This firmly but separably attaches the mattress 66 to the top panel 26 when it is desired to use the same as shown in Figure 7. The snap fasteners are also useful in storage position (Figure 2) which is obtained by merely reversing the top panel 26 so that the mattress 66 sets down in the framework. When in the storage position the top panel 26 is held in place by quick disconnect means (Figure 6) such as small pivoted latches '71 made of leather or some other flexible material, which are carried by wall 24 and which overlie a part of top panel 26. Hand-grip slots 3 72 and 73 are formed in the top panel 26 in order to facilitate the handling thereof.

The four corners of the framework have sockets 7 4, 75, 76 and 77 therein in which to accommodate the lower extremities of tubular supports. One such support is shown in Figure 4 and comprises an upright bar 78 whose upper extremity is formed with hangers 79 and 80 onthe ends of a cross bar 81 in order to support solutions, plasma, etc. The sockets have closed bottoms so that the supports as bars 78 are simply inserted and remain in place. A number of accessories and attachments may be provided for the emergency cot. For example, head or footboards 82 which have parallel bars 83 and 84 at the sides thereof may be inserted in pairs of sockets at both ends of the cot to serve the usual purpose in emergency treatment. Hangers 85 are supplied with the emergency cot so as to be easily mounted and demounted on a wall or other supporting surface whereby panel 26 may function as a bulletin board or some other supporting surface either decorative, functional or both.

Attention is now invited principally to Figures 11-14 inclusive where another form of the emergency cot is illustrated. This second form of emergency cot uses the same accessories and attachments as described in connection with the emergency cot of Figure 1. In addition all of the accessories described previously and others which may be supplied with the cot may be provided with snap fasteners in order to attach to the framework, there being complemental snap fasteners on the framework to hold the attachments readily assembled and concealed (Figure 2) when the emergency cot is stored.

An emergency or disaster cot 100 consists of an angle iron framework 101 having sides 102 and 103 and ends 104 and 105. The upstanding wall 106 is formed by attaching boards along the outer surfaces of the flanges of the framework. The remainder of the upper part of the cot is the same as described in connection with the cot of Figure 1, that is, the mattress 109, top panel 110, means for attaching the mattress and panel together and the fitting of both within the framework. The principal distinction is in the means to support the framework in selected positions. These means of Figure 11 consist of a cross bar 112 extending transversely across the sides 101 and 103 of the framework, two identical leg frames 114 and 116 are mounted at their inner ends for pivotal movement thereon. Leg frame 114 is made of a pair of slightly spaced parallel frame members 115 and 116 whose inner ends are pivoted at 117 to mounting brackets on transverse cross member 112. At the opposite ends of the angle frame members 115 and 116 there is a transverse bar 120 which functions as an axle inasmuch as it supports wheels 121 and 122. Bracing 128 extends between the parts of the framework and transverse cross member 112. The elongated plate 130 is Welded or otherwise secured between parallel flanges of the members 115 and 116 and has a group of outwardly opening notches 132 therein in which the support 134 is operable.

4 The support is made of A-frame construction with the divergent ends pivoted as at 136 to the end of framework 101 and the convergent end supporting the small bar 138 which is engageable in a selected one of the notches 132. Brace or support 140 is pivoted to the framework 101 in a manner identical to brace or support 134 in order that the angularity of the cot be adjustable as described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An emergency cot comprising a rectangular framework having sides provided with an inwardly extending flange between the upper and lower edges thereof, a top panel separably seated on said flange and maintained captive within said framework by fitting between the portions of said sides between said flange and the upper edges of said sides, a mattress, means for separably attaching said mattress to said top panel, said top panel being invertible on said flange with the mattress supporting side facing upward for use or with the mattress supporting side of said panel facing downwardly of the frame in which position the opposite surface of said panel is exposed for secondary uses, latches carriel by said framework and extending inwardly thereof to releasably retain said panel within said framework by overlying the outer surface of said panel, a pair of leg frames pivoted to said framework at the center thereof, braces pivoted to said framework near the ends thereof, and means for adjustably securing said braces to said leg frames to hold said framework in selected angular position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,974 Gorham May 12, 1896 687,400 Marcus Nov. 26, 1901 1,737,276 Taglang Nov. 26, 1929 2,035,321 Koenigkramer Mar. 24, 1936 2,120,732 Comper June 14, 1938 2,551,617 Maybert May 8, 1951 2,561,637 Rex July 24, 1951 2,644,961 Hillenbrand July 14, 1953 2,693,225 Hinckley Nov. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 100,933 Sweden Feb. 25, 1941 140,780 Austria Feb. 25, 1935 425,757 France Apr. 13, 1914 683,073 Great. Britain Nov. 19, 1952 928,130 France May 26, 1947 

